Frame for rooftop air conditioner

ABSTRACT

A FRAME FOR A ROOFTOP AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FOR MOUNTING HEATING AND/OR COOLING ELEMENTS THEREIN AND SUITABLE ACCESS PANELS THEREON TO PROVIDE AN INTEGRATED, WEATHER TIGHT AIR CONDITIONING UNIT.

FRAME FOR ROOFTOP AIR C OOOOOOOO ER &702211 Nov. 7, 1972 L YOUNG ETAL &702211 FRAME FOR ROOFTOP AIR CONDITIONER Filed July 14, 1971 2 Sheets-sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

V /J J///// 31 65 FIG. 4 1 FlG. 5

INVENTORS ROBERT L.YOUNG RUSSELL E. WOOD SAMUEL D. FARNEY ARNOLD U. HOGAN United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 312--257 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A frame for a rooftop air Conditioning unit for mounting heating and/or Cooling elements therein and suitable access panels thereon to provide an integrated, weathertight air Conditioning unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Self contained air Conditioning Systems adapted for installation on the roof of a building have become increasingly popular. The smaller rooftop units are relatively light and fairly simple to install. However, as the size of the units increase, the weight of the unit becomes critical due to the expense and/ or unavailability of large rigging equipment -to place the units on the roof and the necessity for increasing the load Carrying capacity of the roof to support the unit.

To simplify installation, the return and supply air connectionsmay be located beneath the unit. As such, extreme care must be taken to assure the unit is completely watertight to prevent water from entering the unit and flowing through the supply and return air ducts into the building. As the size of the units increase, the number or size of the access panels required for servicing the unit increase, which in turn ncreases the possibility of potential water leaks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a rooftop air Conditioning unit frame including main support members, each of the main support members having a downwardly opening channel member formed therein adapted for straddling engagement with a roof curb for sealiug engagement therewith and an upwardly extending exterior wall section to provide sufficient Strength :to the support member to resist'vertical bending moments. A plurality of Vertical columns are affixed to the main support members, and top corner rails, affixed to the Vertical columns are provided for supporting suitable horizontal panels adapted to form a top on the air Conditioning unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS 'FIG. l is a erspective view of a rooftop air conditioner frame spaced from a roof curb;

FIG. 2. is a sectional view of a Vertical column taken On line I'I-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a top corner runner taken on line III-III of FIG. l;

'FIG. 4 is a sectionalview of a main support member taken on lines IV-IV of F IG. 1; and

'FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main support cross member taken online V-V of FIG. l.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIM'ENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated members '3 having Vertical column members 5, corner supports 7 and horizontal top corner rails 9 affixed thereto. A plurality of I beams 11 for mounting the air conditioning equipment within the frame are suitably affixed to the main support members. A combination coil supportcurb sealing member 13 is also afiixed to main support members 3, as hereinafter explained. A typcal roof curb 15 is illustrated beneath the frame in FIG. l. The curb is ordinarily afiixed to the roof structure and roofing material is installed over the lower flanges 17 and on the Vertical exterior surfaces 19 of the curb to provide a watertight seal between the roof and the curb.

Referring to 'FIG. 4 which illustrates a sectional view of a main support member '3, it can be seen that a downwardly extending or inverted U shaped portion or channel 31 is provided to straddle" the top rail 35 on roof curb 15 (FIG. l). Suitable resilent material such as rubber strips may be inserted within the channel '31 to provide a watertight seal between support members 3 and the roof curb, teeth 33 being formed interiorly of the channel to hold the resilent material therewithin.

A Vertical wall section 37 extending upwardly from the outer leg of channel i31 is provided on support member 3 to impart suflicient rigidity to the support member for resisting Vertical bending moments while the unit is being transported or hoisted into place. It should be understood that the unit weight will be distributed through he channel portions 31 to the roof curb after the unit is installed.

The Vertical wall section 37 -terminates in an inwardly projecting section 39, which serves to support the lower edge of suitable access panels (illustrated by the broken lines 40), and an upwardly directed flange 41 adapted for locating the inside surface of the access panels. A U" channel section 43 is also provided on main support members 3 to collect water that may have seeped into the unit 'between the frame members and the access panels. A suitable line (not shown) communicating with channel 43 may be provided to drain the collected water to the exterior of the unit.

The channel sections and the Vertical Wall section of main support member 3 result in a lightweight but extremely rigid beam adapted to serve'a plurality of functions without adding unnecessary weight to the completed air Conditioning unit.

The *T* beams 11 illustrated in FIG. l are adapted for engagement with top surface 30 of channel member 31 (FIG. 4) and the lower surface 32 of channel section 4 3. Abutments 44 are provided on main support member 3 to locate the ends of F beams 11.

The Vertical column members 5, illustrated in cross section in FIG. 2, consist of a central box section 45 having outwardly extending flange sections 47. The flange sections are adapted to locate the interior side of the access panels (illustrated by the broken lines 40) which are confined horizontally by the sides of the box sections 45.

The flange sections 47 may be aflixed to the upwardly projecting flange 41 on main support member 3 by rivets, threaded fasteners, Welding or other suitable means.

The top corner rails 9, which are mounted on the vertical column members 5, are provided with a central, downwardly projecting leg 49, a horizontal top support section 51 and an outer downwardly projecting leg 53 to form an inverted U shaped channel for receiving the top portions of the Vertical exterior access panels (illustrated by the broken lines 40). A semi-circular depression 55 is formed in the top support section 51 to receive suitable resilent weatherstripping to provide a seal between the top support section 51 and the horizontal panels (not illustrated) which form the top of the assembled unit.

The frame illustrated is adapted for installation of the condensing coil, condenser fans, and compressors to the left of member 13 (FIG. 1). Since openings would be provided for circulating air over the condenser coil, which openings might allow water to enter the unit, the frame illustrated is adapted for use on a roof curb which would be installed with suitable roofing material under the portion of the frame to the left of curb cross member 69 to prevent water from entering the building. The combination coil support-curb sealing member 13 illustrated in FIG. 5 is adapted for engagement between surfaces 30 and 32 of main support members 3. The member 13 is provided With an inverted U shaped portion or channel *65 similar to channel B l, which is adapted to straddle" a cross member 69 on roof curb 15. Suitable resilient material such as rubber strips may be inserted within the channel 65, teeth 71 Within channel 65 serving to hold the resilient material within the channel. A V" shaped section *73 is formed on channel member 65 for supporting the lower edge of a condensing coil which may be mounted at an angle within the frame. A T section 75 is formed above channel 65 to provide the desired structural strength to member 13. An upwardly extending flange 77 is provided for attachment of a suitable partition within the frame to separate the condensing section of the unit from the remainder thereof. Member 13 therefore is utilized to provide a watertight seal in conjunction with curb cross member 69 to prevent water from entering the building from the condensing section of the air Conditioning unit.

A plurality of access panels may be suitably affixed to the frame by inserting the top portion of the panels into the channel formed 'between legs 49 and 53 in top corner rails 9, between the box sections 45 of Vertical columns 5 and the upper surface 39 of main support channels 3. Suitable rubber gaskets may be aflixed to reduced section 81 of top corner rail 9, reduced sections 83 of Vertical column members 5 and flange 41 on main support members 3 for engagement with the 'back surface of the access panels to assure a watertight fit between the frame and the Vertical access panels.

It can be seen from the foregoing that a suitable air Conditioning unit frame is provided, comprised of a plurality of interfitting structural members adapted for sealing engagement with suitable access panels and for collecting water that may enter through defects in the sealed surfaces to prevent Water damage to the building beneath the installed rooftop air Conditioning unit.

i While we have described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise embodied within the Scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A frame for a rooftop air Conditioning unit adapted for installation on a curb formed on the roof of a building, the frame being adapted for mounting air Conditioning system components thereiu and access panels On the exterior thereof comprising:

(a) side main support members, each support member including (i) a downwardly opening channel section adapted for straddling engagement with the roof curb,

(ii) an upwardly extending exterior wall section terminating in an inwardly projecting section having a Vertical flange formed thereon spaced from and substantially parallel to the plane of said exterior wall section, and,

(iii) an upwardly opening channel member, said 4 flange ferming an extension of the outer Vertical wall of said upwardly opening channel member;

(b) a plurality of Vertical column members aflixed to said Vertical flange on each of said main support members; and

(c) top corner rails affixed to said Vertical columns.

2. A frame according to claim 1 wherein each of said Vertical columns Comprise a central :box section having outwardly extending flanges formed thereon, said flanges being adapted for connection to said Vertical flanges on said main support members.

3. A frame according to claim 2 wherein each of said top corner rails comprise:

a horizontal top section;

a first downwardly projecting flange member adapted for connection to said outwardly extending flanges on said Vertical columns; and

a second downwardly projecting flange member spaced from said first downwardly projecting flange member in substantial alignment with said upwardly extending Vertical wall sections of said main support members, said first downwardly projecting flange member being in substantial alignment with said outwardly extending flanges on said Vertical columns and said vertical flanges on said main support members.

4. A frame according to claim 3 further including a plurality of I beams interconnecting said side main support members, the ends of said I beams being positioned between the lower surface of said upwardly opening channel sections and the upper surface of said downwardly opening channel sections, a downwardly projecting abutment being formed on the lower surface of each of said upwardly opening channel sections and an upwardly projecting abutment being formed on the upper surface of each of said downwardly opening channel sections for locating said I beams relative to said side support members.

5. A frame according to claim 4 further including a curb sealing member interconnecting said side support members, said curb sealing member including a downwardly opening channel member adapted for straddling engagement with the roof curb;

an angle section formed on one upper corner of said channel section for supporting a condenser coil; and,

an upwardly projecting Vertical section formed on said channel section for attachment of a partition member thereto for dividing said frame into two sections.

46. A frame according to claim 5 further including inwardly projecting teeth members formed on the Vertical walls of said downwardly opening channel members on said main support members and said downwardly opening channel member on said curb sealing member for retaining resilient sealing strips therebetweeu.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,37-8,320 4/ 196 8 Morgan et al 312-257 R 3,360,320 12/1967 Lust 312-257 R 3,150,903 7/1964 Chapman et al. 312-257 SK 2,996,161 8/1961 Efling 52-475 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

